NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Karen and Kevin Keyes Notre Dame head women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw might be running low on shelf space after a busy awards slate lined up for this fall. Coach McGraw is scheduled to receive four prestigious honors before the 2018-19 season kicks off, highlighted by her induction into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 1.
Irish fans won’t have to travel far to attend the first one, as Coach McGraw will receive the Rockne Champion award on Sept 7 here in South Bend. The second annual Knute Rockne Spirit of Sports Awards Celebration will be held inside the Palais Royale ballroom and begin at 7 p.m. ET.
Individual tickets cost $80 per person, or two for $150, and can be purchased by visiting www.RockneSociety.org. The event benefits the Knute Rockne Memorial Society and the South Bend YWCA.
On Sept 21, Coach McGraw will make the trip to New York City to receive the 2018 Joe Lapchick Character Award, which promotes good character in the sport of basketball. Each September, the foundation recognizes a group of iconic basketball figures, from all levels of men’s and women’s basketball, who have demonstrated honorable character throughout their careers, much like the legendary Coach Joe Lapchick.
Next up will be the first of two hall of fame inductions, beginning with the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. The 22nd annual event takes place at Wintrust Arena on Oct. 3, as Coach McGraw will be inducted with the likes of Eric Dickerson, Kevin Butler and Kendall Coyne to name a few.
Capping the awards season is a return trip to her hometown of Philadelphia on Nov. 1, where she’ll join 14 other individuals, along with 1948-49 Eagles, into the city’s hall of fame. Philadelphia’s 15th class will be headlined by Coach McGraw, former 76er Allen Iverson, former Eagle Brian Westbrook and former Phillie Jamie Moyer.
The ceremony will take place at the SugarHouse Event Center. The gala is open to the public, while tickets for the ceremony cost $50.
— ND —
